Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-06
HERE'S A CHANCE,
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In his letter 10 the ST. Louis iGr ~ M'"'
dated At Wheeling, Mr.. +. II. Moore 'E"e'
,or,, the coke iueu in . manner they very
richly deserve. At the same time he lul-
proves the opportunity to point out the
excellence OF the coke produced in West
Virginia, and makes a forcible suggestion
to Wheeling manufacturers to drop the
nineteenth century robbery baronS Of
Western Pennsylvania and avail them
selves of the remedy 80 close 1T hand. lie
says:
The coke men parallel the ore men IN so
far rs greed and abuse Of position - co"-
cerned: they are close cOngeners, ana they
hunt in couples, us il were. The coke
men occupy warm position Just now, De
tween two fires. The iurnaCemen refuse
TO pay them their price at one end ana
their operators refuse to receive the price
offered them at the other end. The men
have agreed, however, that they will re-
turn to work mt the reduced rate If the
coke producers hearkcn to the requests OF
the fIIrnacemen. The coke producers are
irving 10 play eXtOrtiOn ut both ends. ms
coke trouble suggests n theme have eX-
initiated on before that Is the develop
ment of the mineral resources OF West VIZ
yinia. The course OF the average west
Virginia manufacturer has been to so treat
overturcs in this regard ~ to depreciate, II
not disparage, the mineral capabilities oil
that State. II has been amply demon
strated that she possesses riches of mine
raj nature equal to those ol any sister
State, in fact vastly superior to most OF
them, and only because they have moi
been exploited beyond the limits OF
either truth or reason, like those
OF Alabama, for instance, even her
own people treat them with contumcly.
The policy ofthe i. so. Railroad, which
Misses through some OF the richest metal
bearing portions of the State, has mot been
of a nature to invite investigation and de-
vrlOpmrnt, il il true, hut | am convinced
this can he altered by proper represent
tation and application to the authorities
of the road. There are in the ncighhOr-
hood of llO blast furnaces alone in tins
trade jurisdiction dependent on, it may
he said ut the mercy of, the COunellsvlllc
coke producers. These llO furnaces
produce at least T5,6OO tons OF
pig metal weekly, consuming 9l,5OO
tons Of coke at - per ton; multiply tins
OF, 500 tons by II. 81, II fair price, AMI we
have SILL, 750 per week. 1t seems that a
business OF such magnitude would stlmu-
late laudable competition. Coal poSs,%S'-
ing all the requirements for making Il coke
equal and in some particulars superior to
the best COnncIlSvillc coke exists in West
Virginia. The deposits are generally ON
the main line OF the l.. X q. railroad,
some arc closely proXmatc to it, Others ON
branch lines aud all are easily accessible.
If West Virginia enterprise and grit are
not equal to the opportunity outside
capital will receive, | am assured, a hos
pitablc welcome and every possible oppor-
tunity to investigate. These coke barons
need rebuking and the most effective ana
Christian way to reprove an over coNetohs
aud selfish man, is to ObStruct the How oil
his lucre. Oppression in whatever shape
it comes is calling, and it is surprising
that turuaCemen, with relief III sight,
have so long and so patiently borne the
yoke ut these coke lurdllngS. The
apathy under scrvitudc is claimed
to he foreign to the nature of
mOuntainccrs, which West Virginians style
themselves, but il seems that enterprise
and sharp activity, also characteristics of
people h-'lthing pure mountain air and
which n, . requisite for the accomplish
ment OF sturdy purpose, are easily diSc0m-
fitted, easily repulscd IN their cpsc when
called on for the exercise of 4 little extra
cIeTtiOn. ! am writing this lott"r from
Wheeling for Wheeling people, because
they have the game in their hands II they
can he reused to the cNpcdicncy, t0 the
actual necessity of svailing themselves of
the opportunity before Tittsburg ovcr-plays
them as she usually does. 1t is full time
for these Wheeling manufacturers to
strike for something higher than the
second class seats in the trip that CONNER
cial progress is making; they have been
long enough content with the crumbs,
with the fragments OF the feast. Under
the shadow of Pittsburgh they have been
using the blue skim milk prOllered them
after the rich cream had been skinned of;
To be slangy, playing second fiddle, UNI
til the outside world has come TO look upon
them rs country dependents, thralls OF
Pittsburg. There Is not much of the
spirit, the sentiment emblazOned on their
State seal, "Montani Semper liberi'-
"MOuntaineerS will always he free in
this mode of procedure, in this system Of
yassalage.